Fountain paint-brush



M. MI KELLOGG. FOUNTAIN P AINI BRUSH. y APPLICATION FILED IuNE24, |920 I lII I INI Vllllnllllllllllll/llll UNITED STATES MILES M. KELLOGG, OF ENCINITAS, CALIFORNIA.

FOUNTAIN PAINT-BRUSH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Application led .Tune 24, 1920. Serial No. 391,480.

T 0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MILES M. KnLLoeG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Encinitas, in the county oic San Diego and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fountain Paint- Brushes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oi"- the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved fountain-brush which is especially7 designed to be used as a paint brush, although it is not to be restricted to such use.

An object of the invention is to provide a brush of the above type wherein the handle being hollow, serves as a container for a quantity of paint which is dispensed therefrom onto the bristlesof the brush, such dispensing being controlled by a valve which is in turn operated by mechanism on the exterior of the handle within convenient distance of the users thumb, thus dispensing with the old way of employing a bucket and separate brush. This new method is a great deal more convenient, and prevents soiling of the users hands, etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character in which the valve operating mechanism serves as a plunger which keeps the passage between the handle and brush open at all times so that the paint will flow freely when the valve is open.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character wherein the construction is such that the paint will be freely applied to the brush even though the bristles are flexed under pressure exerted thereon when the brush is in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during vthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings 'forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, of a device constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view of the lower end of the brush taken on the plane of the line 3 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a View illustrating a modified form of the valve actuating mechanism'.

In carrying out my invention I employ a tubular tapered handle 1 which is open at its opposite ends, and which when closed by parts to be hereinafter described, forms a container for a quantity of paint or yother liquid. The numeral 2 designates the brushhead which is detachably connected to, and closes one end of the tubular handle. Embedded in this brush is a tube 3, the inner end of which extends into the interior of the handle and provides a valve seat 4 with which a valve 5 coacts. This tube extends into the brush a sufficient distance to `apply paint freely to the bristles of the brush, and it is contracted at its outer end as shown at 6 to decrease the flow of paint therethrough. Connected in any suitable manner to this contracted end of the tube is a nozzle 7 of rubber or otherresilient material which is likewise contracted at its outer end. By this construction it will be seen that the passage of the paint will never be obstructed by the bristles of the brush crossing the outlet and closing it, because this nozzle being flexible will 'follow the bristles to the various angles which they assume when pressure is exerted thereon during the course of painting.

The valve is actuated by means of a rod 8 which is connected thereto at its lower end and extends throughout the entire length of the handle and through the opening in the cap 9. It is to be noted that a portion of this rod extends into the tube 3, this portion being designated by the numeral 10. The pur pose of this construction is to insure that the tube will never become clogged by thick paint. It is obvious that during the operation of the valve, this portion 10 of the rod will act as a plunger and will thus torce any particles of paint through the tube. If desired the extremity of the portion 10 of the rod may be enlarged to form a head ll. so

that the latter will strike the walls oi: the tube and insure proper cleaning thereof. Movement is imparted to the rod 8 by means of an L-shaped lever 12 which is pivotally mounted at 13 on a cap 9. The connection between the lever 12 and rod 8 consists of a nut 14 which forms a stop, beneath which the looped end 15 of the rod 12 is disposed. It is obvious that by exerting pressure on the free end of the lever 12 Will rock the same on its pivot and impart movement to the rod 8, causing the valve 5 to become unseated. In order to retain the valve normally closed, I provide a coiled spring 16 which surrounds the rod 8 between the adjustable shoulder 1? and the under face of the cap 9. rlhis spring not only serves to retain the valve norm llv closed but it also serves to seat the gasket or other suitable packingv member tightly against the opening in the cap through which the rod S extends, thuspreventing leakage. Paint may be placed within the handle by removing the cap 9 or it may be more conveniently placed therein by means of the neck 18 which I provide and which is closed bya stopper 19.

The operating mechanism may, if desired,

be arranged in the interior of the handle.'

In Fig. el I have shown such an arrangement, and Vfor the sake of clearness I have made use of the same numerals to indicate like parts-in this figure, wherein 8 indicates the valve actuating rod and 12 the L-shaped operating lever.y In this arrangement the L shaped lever extends through the Wall of the handle and is mounted therein for rocking movement as shown at 20. Instead of the type of connection between this lever and the'rod 18 employed in the alreadydescribed device, I pivot the lever 12 and rod 8 together as shown at 21, the rodV 8 working through a guide 22 which also serves as ashoulder, against which oneend of the coiled spring 16 abuts, the other end oi' the latter engaging the shoulder 17 inthe same manner as that set 'forth in the other form ot'mydevice. In this form of device I make use oit Yanother coiled spring 2B, the purpose of which is to retain the gasket 2d in position,

thus preventing leakage.

Vhen it is desired to Vsupply the bristles Vof the brush with paint, this may be accomplished by lifting the valve 5 from its seat,

this beingV done byV pressing the thumb against the i'ree ends ofthe lever 12 which action imparts a rockingmotion to the latter and at the same time'movcs the rod longitudinally which imparts the desired movement to the valve, as is obvious. No matter how much pressure is placed upon the bristles of the brush, causing them to become flexed as indicated in dotted lines in.

1. A fountain-brush comprising hollow handle to contain a liquid` to be dispensed,`

a brush-head connected to one end 'of the handle, a tube embedded in the brush-head, the inner end thereof extending beyond the head into the interior of the handle, atorming` valve seat, a vvalve cooperative with said seat, a plunger rod carried by the valve and extending into the tube, the free end thereof being enlarged to engage the inner wall of the' tube to clean the same, and means for actuating the valve. Y

2. A Jfountain-brush comprising a tubular.

handle, open at its opposite ends, a brushhead threaded into and closing one end, a screw cap closing the opposite end, a tube embedded in theVbrush-head, the inner end ci? the tube extending into the l'iandle and providing a valve seat,a valve for coperation with the seat, a valve actuating rod ei:- tending throughthe handle, an L-shaped pivotally mounted leverV connected to the rod, a shoulder on the rod, and arcoiled spring surrounding thefrod bearing on the shoulder and against said screw-cap.'Y

3. A fomitain-brnsh comprising a handle,V Aopen at its opposite ends, a brush-head threaded into oneend, an apertured screwcap closing the opposite end, a tube em-' bedded in the brush-head, having its inner end projecting into the handle, forming aV valve seat, a valve coacting with said seat, a valve actuating rod connected to the valve and extending through the aperture in the cap and beyond the latter, an L-shaped operating lever pivotally connected between its ends to the cap, one end thereofv being connected to the extended portion olf the actuating rod, a shoulder on the vinolosed portion of the said actuating rod, a gasket ring surrounding said rod in a position to cover Vthe aperture inthe cap, and a coiled spring surrounding the rod between the shoulder and the gasket to normally retain the gasket in contact with the cap and also to retain the valve closed. V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MILES M. KELLOGG. 

